Coalition partners supporting DA mayors in Johannesburg, Nelson Mandela Bay and Tshwane spoke on Wednesday about the virtues of multi-party rule ahead of the 2019 elections. Cope's Mosiuoa Lekota used the platform to call for the establishment of refugee camps.

A Johannesburg press conference between coalition parties governing three metropolitan municipalities took a bizarre turn on Wednesday when Cope leader Mosiuoa "Terror" Lekota took the mic.

He said there was a "flood" of foreigners entering the country and only a national coalition government could prioritise citizens, establish refugee camps, and protect South Africans' access to housing and provide opportunities to locally-owned businesses.

Lekota claimed he was not xenophobic but said only a coalition (the DA, ACDP, IFP and Freedom Front Plus were present Wednesday) could keep asylum seekers in camps, with the assistance of international agencies, to prevent them competing against South Africans for jobs, housing and business opportunities.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane was more diplomatic. He said border enforcement needs to improve and home affairs offices reformed to allow for more accurate registration of foreign nationals.

ACDP national chair JoAnne Downs said,...